Undergraduate research

Iowa State’s psychology department is research-intensive, which means you’ll have opportunities to gain hands-on experience that will help you stand out to employers, graduate schools, and professional schools.

Work with expert faculty on world-class research in areas ranging from forensic science to virtual reality. You can participate in research experiments or even join an Iowa State psychology research lab. With undergraduate research, you will:

  • Work alongside world-renowned faculty and graduate students
  • Add job experience to your resume
  • Present research at conferences
  • Make new friends
  • Find amazing mentors who can share insights about applying for graduate school
  • Have fun within a close-knit lab community

Inspiring internships

As a psychology student, you have access to many internship opportunities, including ones with course credit.

Students interested in gaining a supervised experience in a community setting should consider our fieldwork and internship courses (4920/4920A/4290B).

If you are interested in gaining a supervised experience in a community setting, consider enrolling in one of these courses. PSYCH 4920 offers a supervised experience in an applied psychology setting. PSYCH 4920A offers a supervised experience in a human services setting. PSYCH 4920B offers a supervised experience in an industrial/organizational setting. The on-campus Network Community Counseling clinic also allows undergraduate research assistants to gain administrative work experience in a counseling environment.

Looking for help in putting together the perfect resume or cover letter for your internship?  LAS Career Services and Graduate College Career Services can help you with all of these and more.

 

Jamal Beavers

Each lab approaches research differently, and that’s helped me develop a broad skill set, including technical skills, such as data interpretation and analysis. I’ve learned how to manage my time, collaborate with people from different disciplines, and build professional networks,

Jamal Beavers, ’26 psychology

PSYCH 4920A: Fieldwork Practicum: Human Services

Prerequisites – Junior classification, 12 credits of PSYCH, permission of instructor, 2.50 GPA. [Satisfactory/Fail grading only].

Interested in gaining experience in a human service agency? Consider registering for PSYCH 4920A. You will find your own practicum site with the help of your instructor. Start by exploring websites of agencies that interest you most and then follow up with an email or telephone call to the agency’s volunteer coordinator. Some sites request that you apply several months before the semester in which you would like to volunteer with them (e.g., Youth and Shelter Services). It is never too early to start looking for a placement for summer or fall semester. Each hour of credit requires 3 hours/week at the agency for 15 weeks. For example, 3 credits would require 9 hours/week at the agency.

Enrollment involves completion of an “Agreement and Grade Report Form,” obtained from the Advising Office, a scheduled individual meeting with the course supervisor, Whitney Baker, and completion of a learning goal statement. A completed form will describe the agreed upon activities and amount of credit, which varies with each project. One credit equals 3-4 hours of work per week for the semester or 45 hours.

Credit Limit – There is a limit of nine (9) credits each for PSYCH 4900, 4910, and 4920 that may apply towards graduation. These experiences may count as electives and 3000+ credits, however, they do NOT fulfill a course requirement.

PSYCH 4920B: Fieldwork Practicum: I/O Psychology

Prerequisites – Junior classification, PSYCH 2500 or 4500, 12 credits of PSYCH, permission of instructor, 2.50 GPA. [Satisfactory/Fail grading only].

Supervised experience in an industrial/organizational setting.

Please contact Dr. Kathy Hanisch for more information.

Independent research and study

These independent study/supervised “courses” are designed to provide opportunities for you to earn additional academic credit and augment your education.

  • PSYCH 4900: Independent Study
    Supervised reading in an area of psychology not covered by courses. Prerequisites: Junior classification, 6 credits of Psychology. If interested contact individual faculty members. *Letter grades or Satisfactory/Fail**
  • PSYCH 4910: Research Practicum
    Supervised research in an area of psychology. Prerequisites: Junior classification, PSYCH 3010, 2.50 GPA. *Letter grades or Satisfactory/Fail*. Strongly recommended for those considering graduate school.ol.
  • PSYCH 2910: Introductory Research Experience
    Prerequisites: PSYCH 1010, sophomore classification, and permission of instructor. Beginning level supervised research experience in a faculty laboratory. Repeatable up to 4 credits maximum. Satisfactory-fail only.y.

Enrollment procedure

  • Talk to the faculty member with whom you would like to work. If a faculty member agrees, you will complete and sign the Agreement and Grade Report Form and the faculty member will provide you with the appropriate reference number for his/her section so you can register. A completed form describes the agreed upon activities, the amount of credit, and the grading system to be used. The amount of credit varies with each project; one credit equals 3 hours of work per week for the semester or 45 hours.
  • Credit Limit – There is a limit of nine (9) credits each for PSYCH 4900, 4910, and 4920 that may apply towards graduation. These experiences may count as electives and 3000+ credits, however, they do NOT fulfill a course requirement.